Family fitness for the holidays by Dalton Harris, CSCS and John Martin, CPT

Family physical activity

Section by Dalton Harris, CSCS

When working out with family, the importance of using recreational activities as a means of exercise is often overlooked. They can include family members of any age, and are often influential in sustaining healthy exercise habits in children as they grow older.  This is also a great way for the adults in the family to get exercise without being away from their family. As the holidays near, many people don't exercise due to the desire to spend time with family when they're off of school or off work. 

What activities should I do?

An activity that involves the whole family is going on a hike or walk. This is a great activity that uses the cardiorespiratory system.  Regular aerobic exercise can reduce the effects of noncommunicable diseases such as metabolic syndrome, hypertension and heart disease. Another great activity is a sports activity such as basketball, soccer or tennis. These sports will help you get your activity in for the day and provide you with the family time you desire during the holidays.

What are the benefits of family exercise?

One benefit of exercising with your family is reinforcing healthy habits. Small children are influenced by their parents, and often want to be just like their mom, dad, aunt or uncle. Even if your family hasn't been active together in the past, a family game or activity may establish a new holiday tradition. 

A holiday family workout

Section by John Martin, CPT

Getting the family started on a healthier lifestyle can always be a struggle. When it comes to making sure both you and your children can stay active, other things can get in the way, like school, work and other extracurricular activities. Working out or exercising together is a great way to encourage each other to improve daily living and overall lifestyle. Of course, when starting a workout plan, physical requirements will be different. Below, you can find a quick workout that you, your significant other and the kids can follow. If you are unfamiliar with any of the exercises, you can find examples online.

Complete 2-3 sets, then rest 1-2 minutes:

Upper body

• Push-ups, regular or modified (10-15 repetitions)
• Mountain climbers (30 seconds)
• Burpees (10-15 repetitions)

Lower body

• Squat jumps (10-15 repetitions)
• Step-ups (10-15 repetitions each leg)
• Reverse lunges (10-12 repetitions each leg)
• Wall sits (15-30 seconds)

Core

• Crunches (20 reps)
• Sit-ups (15 reps)

If you want to make any of these exercises harder, you can add repetitions. For adults and teenagers, adding some weight can help increase the intensity of the workout to see additional progress.